Whirlwind postponed

I have so much to catch up on - so much to write about but today my Mom called and left a message for me at 11:27 a.m.  My Aunt Margaret passed away last night.  She didn't have any details but wanted to let me know.

I have wonderful memories of Aunt Muggs.  Jack and I took one of our first trips together out to visit Aunt Margaret and Uncle Ernie.  We had originally planned to go to their house in Salinas, but due to a change in their plans met them at their house near Lake Tahoe, instead.  When I remember back to that trip I think of trying to keep track of her in the casino.  She was a maniac around slot machines.  (We found Uncle Ernie asleep in a chair in the casino.)  And her crazy antics behind the wheel of their truck, she was a crazy driver. She rolled down the passenger side window in busy traffic at a stoplight in Reno, in order to ask the driver next to her if she could get in get in front of them to make a quick right turn.  Uncle Ernie squeezed himself into the backseat of their Ford extended cab truck, because he didn't want to see what was going on.  

Jack and I took the kids out for a visit during Spring Break two years ago.  Oh, how I will forever cherish that trip.  So much love and laughter.  Oh, and food!  She had bought enough food to feed a small army.  Every meal the table overflowed with choices --- it wasn't just pizza or lasagna but two of each and salads and, of course dessert for one meal. And there were only 5 of us!

She also felt the need to give credit to this part of the family or that for my idiosyncrasies.  For example, before we left I stripped the bed and put the sheets in the washing machine.  "Wow!  That's not something any Thomas would ever do, that part of you must have come from...," she exclaimed.  It was something I hadn't thought too much about but she wanted to give credit where credit was due.  

During our visit we took a drive, looking for the "Pebbly Beach" and stopped at Seal Rock during the Tsunami warning.  Aunt Muggs stayed in the car and prayed the whole time for our safety, while the kids ventured down onto the sand.  Let me point out that she was the one that drove around the road closed sign on 17 Mile Drive to get us there.  It was a day of adventure, for sure.  She got a little mixed up and got a bit lost but we eventually found something that looked familiar and made it to her beloved stomping grounds.  And Jack got to walk pose for a picture in front of the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course.

A little piece of paradise.

Aunt Muggs house is in the middle, on the left.

I took this picture as we were leaving.  When I spoke to her later she said she cried all afternoon.  She hated goodbyes.  That tract was handed down from her (and my Mom) to my sister (and I) and Sarah and Addy, too.  We are terrible at goodbyes.

Sweet Aunt Margaret and the kids.

March 2011

Aunt Muggs suffered terribly during her battle with cancer.  I am thankful her agony is over.  I am keeping her family and close friends in my prayers. 

God bless her soul.
xo